Breaking Her Rules

Chapter 13

Duncan Forrester and Lucas Elmhirst are drinking with a few of the other Prisley boys in the lounge room. I storm up to them, drunk and furious and needing an outlet for my anger.

'What the fuck are you still doing here?' I say to Lucas. 'Get out of this house!'

Lucas stands up. 'I have just as much of a right to be here as you do, Em. I was invited to this party, so don't tell me to leave.' He puts his beer down and crosses his arms over his chest, probably in an effort to look strong and unwavering, but all it does is make me notice the way his arm muscles flex.

'I'm Ainsley's best friend and I'll tell you to leave if I want to,' I say. 'You've ruined this party and you should go find another place to drink. Take your stupid wolf masks with you!'

Some of the Prisley boys give me weird looks, but Duncan and Lucas just look angry.

'Fuck off, Em. You're drunk,' Lucas says. 'We're not hurting anyone. We had our fun and now we want to enjoy the party.'

'You're hurting everyone,' I say, and then I point an accusatory finger at Duncan. 'And what the fuck do you even think you're doing? I know about your little stunt. You stay away from my friends!'

Duncan gives me a confused look but I can see the anger behind it.

'Emily,' Lucas says, and he grabs me by a wrist and pulls me away from his friends. 'Stop it, you'll make him angry.'

I stare at Lucas, seeing red. 'Make him angry? I'm angry!'

'I can see that,' Lucas says spitefully. He runs a hand through his blonde hair. 'Look, I know you hate my guts, but take my advice on this one and don't get on Duncan's bad side.'

'What the fuck are you doing?' I say. 'Are you trying to protect me from your best friend?'

'I'm not trying to protect you,' Lucas spits. 'Why would I try to protect you? You're a selfish bitch. I'm just saying; don't fuck with my best friend, because you'll have to go through me first.'

I grind my teeth together. 'I'm sick of you, Luke. You're nothing but a waste of space and I don't understand why you keep forcing your way into my life. I don't want my friends to be hurt.'

'Then don't hurt them,' Lucas says through his teeth. 'Leave us alone, Maisonwood.'

I spin around and walk away, frustrated. The Prisley boys are the bane of my existence and I don't know what to do about them. Somehow I need to pay them back for the wolf stunt they pulled on this party. I don't just want revenge for the prank; I want revenge for the things Lucas said about me in grade ten. I want revenge for the fights Lucas and I had. I want revenge for Duncan bullying everyone smaller than him. I want revenge for Duncan trapping me under a bed and making out with my best friend's girlfriend. I want revenge for Duncan Forrester's father interrogating my father about a dead man.

In the kitchen I pour myself a strong vodka with soft drink. I take a big swig of it and stand beside the counter, musing to myself and watching spilt beer drip from the countertop down onto the floor. I know exactly how to get back at Lucas and Duncan and all the Prisley students, I think. Doing it drunk isn't the smartest idea but now is the only time. I can slip out of the party now and no one will notice if I'm gone for an hour. Everyone is too drunk and there's no one who cares about me enough tonight to look for me. With that thought, I grab the key from where it's hidden hanging up in the broom cupboard and I unlock the Shepherd's garage. When I have the stuff I need I lock up the garage again and make a sneaky escape through the front door. There's an abandoned wolf mask lying on the front lawn and I grab it and run down the street, hoping no one has seen me.